LA JOURNAL: Local little leaguers need your help

Success comes at a cost - and more success could come at a higher cost for families of a local little league baseball team that made champion status last week.

It's kind of like being stuck between a rock and a hardball.

The East Terrebonne All-Star baseball team placed second in the Dizzy Dean League state championships last week. It's now scheduled to compete in the league's World Series this weekend in Athens, Tenn.

Parents want to be there to root for their 11-year-olds, which means hotel and food expenses some were not prepared to cover.

The short notice led to a flurry of old-fashioned fund-raising efforts, from car washes to bake sales - one of which is being held today at Cannata's on Prospect Street. A little more time and a few more cakes, some parents say, could have done the trick, but some families are still short, since everyone is leaving for Tennessee Thursday.

The biggest problem is that parents don't know how long the series will last. If the kids lose, they could head home as early as Tuesday. If they are winners, they could remain in play for several days more, as any baseball connoisseur can tell you.

"There's never been a Terrebonne team that came in the top two teams of a state tournament," Michael Trosclair, who pitches and plays third base, said with pride. He is hoping for good attendance at today's bake sale, and his mother, Suzette Solet, hopes so too. She is helping coordinate the dash for dollars that can mean the difference for many team families. Anyone wanting to help out can call her at 851-5660.

"It's a nice thing to do," Trosclair said. "And helping other people may come to help you in your future."